OCEAN CITY- When the Ocean City Lacrosse Classic arrives in the resort area in two weeks for the 20th year in a row, it will include a few new wrinkles including, for the first time ever, a wheelchair lacrosse division and an expanded Masters division.

Lacrosse will take center stage in Ocean City starting August 14 when some of the top men’s and women’s teams in the country descend on the resort area for the 20th Annual Ocean City Lacrosse Classic. This year, the “fastest game on two feet” will also include the fastest game on wheels as the Wheelchair Lacrosse USA and Ocean City Lacrosse Ltd. have partnered to create a Wheelchair Lacrosse Division for the 20th Annual Ocean City Lacrosse Classic.

The wheelchair segment of the annual lacrosse tournament will take place on Wednesday, August 14 and Thursday, August 15, at the indoor facility at Northside Park. As many as 10 teams from around the region are expected to compete in the inaugural event. Established Wheelchair Lacrosse rules will apply, including six players plus a goalkeeper for each team. Substitution will be on the fly and standard indoor lacrosse nets will be used.

In another new wrinkle this year, the Masters portion of the tournament will be divided into “A” and “B” divisions. The “A” division will include the top performing teams from the 2012 Ocean City Lacrosse Classic Masters Division. Lower finishing teams from last year’s tournament along with new teams signing up this year will be seeded in the “B” division.

From modest beginnings in 1993, the Ocean City Lacrosse Classic has grown to become one of the sport’s most highly anticipated events. Last year, 108 teams from all over the country participated including 51 men’s elite teams and 33 women’s elite teams, featuring some of the top collegiate players in the country, participated, along with 11 Masters teams and eight grand masters teams.